Fresh Start Benefits Several NHL Goaltenders

Three starting NHL goaltenders are benefitting from fresh starts in 2024.

Apr 22, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; A goal scored by Toronto Maple Leafs left wing Tyler Bertuzzi (not seen) on Boston Bruins goaltender Linus Ullmark (35) was overturned after video review during the second period in game two of the first round of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-USA TODAY Sports / Brian Fluharty-USA TODAY Sports

The NHL is a goaltender carousel. Netminders are moved yearly, new ones emerge out of nowhere, and no one truly knows how to project the position. This offseason alone featured the trading of three starting goaltenders, drastically shaking up the league yet again. Some of these players moved into better situations than the others, so let's look at the most notable goaltenders with new teams and how their first seasons will go.

Linus Ullmark - Ottawa Senators

The Senators made a bold move when they acquired Linus Ullmark from the Boston Bruins. The former Vezina winner is a huge boost for the Sens as they try to take the next step in a crowded Atlantic Division. Over his last five seasons with the Buffalo Sabres and Boston Bruins, he hasn't posted a goals against average higher than 2.69.

The biggest issue for Ullmark and the Senators is that he has never played more than 50 games in a season. Even in his award-winning season, he only played 49 games. The Sens are relying on their newest netminder to start a majority of their games in 2024, which should push him well past his career high in games played. The skills are there, but the consistency over a full season are still in question.

Jacob Markstrom - New Jersey Devils

The goaltender in the best position to succeed in 2024 is Jacob Markstrom. After acquiring the 34-year-old from the Calgary Flames, the Devils are trying to claim the Metropolitan Division. They added some defensive reinforcements in front of Markstrom as well, rounding out an offseason overhaul in New Jersey.

Markstrom was eager to leave the Flames after the organization entered rebuilding mode. Despite that, he's been one of the league's best over the last seven seasons. He brings 215 wins and carries a career goals against average of 2.73 to the Devils, and that combined with the defensively sound team in front of him is a recipe for a team capable of contending.

One huge question is whether Markstrom can backstop a team deep into the playoffs. He's shown flashes of brilliance in the postseason, but he's never advanced past the second round. During the first round of the 2022 playoffs, Markstrom set a new Flames' record for highest save percentage in a playoff series. If he can rise to that level again, the Devils will be a tough team to eliminate.

Darcy Kuemper - Los Angeles Kings

The Kings parted ways with the polarizing center Pierre-Luc Dubois and in the process acquired a new starting goaltender. Darcy Kuemper brings Stanley Cup experience to a young Kings team that has ambitions of getting past the first round of the playoffs. 2023 was a difficult one for him, as he was limited to just 33 games due to injury.

A healthy reset should be the key for Kuemper. He's still an incredibly sound and positional goaltender who does all of the small things well. Sporting a 6'5 frame, he has a lateral quickness that is tops in the league, much like all of the goaltenders on this list.

If the Kings can play well in front of him, Kuemper should provide the steadiest goaltending the team's had in several seasons. It doesn't guarantee they will fare any better in the playoffs, but it certainly gives them a shot.

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